mattei



May 26, 1931.

D. MATTEI 1,806,859 4SELF ACTING CLOSURE FOR WATER TIGHT COMPARTHENTS Filed Dec. 26, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l Y 'q 7l May 26, 1931.

D. MATTEI 1,806,859

SELF ACTING CLOSURE FOR WATER TIGHT COHPARTHENTS 'Filed Dec. 26, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Yllatentecl May 26, 1931 UNITED AsrrATlzs DIEGO MATTEI, or GENOA, ITALY SELF ACTING oLosURE Fon WATER TIGHT COMPARTMENTS Application filed December 26, 1928. Serial No. 328,409.

This invention relates to means for Vpreventing the sinking of ships by closing bulkheads and doors so as to isolate-certain compartments or ,rooms of thershipand thereby 5 prevent the flooding of the entire ship or the spread of lire from one compartment to the other. This problem is of great importance during times of peace and, of course, becomes of enormous importance in timesof war.

Prior devices for constructing water-tight compartments have been inei'licient and insuflicient, either because the closures have not been operated in time or because the various devices have lacked the motive power during the critical period because there have been damages in the connection for operating the closures.

Ther principal object of the present invention is to construct self-acting closures for compartments which are completely automatic in that they willr be operated as soon as water has entered a compartment or has entered a contiguous compartment, without any manual intervention;

A further object is to provide means for operating closures oflthis type' which are sturdy and elicient,in which the motive power is independent from the various 'other motive powers upon the ship. y

A still further object isto make the connections between the closuresV and themotive power as short as possible to Vthereby Vreduce the possibility of the connections being damaged.y Y

It is also an tion to provide meanswhereby the closures can be operated-from a distance and the controlling means are fitted withV a safety device.

The invention is alsodesignedso as to op-` erate automatically when a fire breaks out In a compartment,

It is also an important obj ect of the invention toV provide first means for closing the uclosure and secondly means for making a tight closure after the closure has been shut.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent from the detailed description below interpreted in connection with the accompanying drawings which show o a preferred embodiment of the invention, the

important object f my inven-V inventionconsists in the following combina,-` tion and arrangement of elements.

In the drawings similar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. 1 shows'in cross section and diagrammatically a closure which is adapted to be wound upon pulleys or rollers.

Figure Q shows a diagrammatic and elevational view of the invention applied to a sliding door. i

Figure 3 shows a vertical cross section of.

. the invention shown in `Figure 2.

Figure V4f shows in elevation and diagrammaticallythe invention applied to a swingingdoor pivoted at'one side thereof.`

Figure 5 shows a plan and partialdiagrammatic view vofthe invention shown in Figure 4. i

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view showingV parts in elevation ofthe novel connecting valve used. Figure 7 is a cross sectional view having parts 1n elevation showing a modified type f Y Figure 8 shows a cross sectional view of a tions which the valve used in the device of Figures 10 and l1 may assume.

Figure 15 shows diagrammatically an arrangement of a system for the protection of premises from water and from fire when compressed air or carbonio acid is employed v for expanding the tubes used, and i Figure 16 is an elevational view of a modification of the device shown in Figures 2 and3. Referring particularly to Figure 1, llindi- -urther m'odilication of the valve structure.:

Ion

Cates a closure which is adapted to be wound upon the rollers 1-1. The closure is preferably constructed of corrugated iron sheets as shown. Extending between the closures 1 is positioned a flexible and elastic air tight bag 2 which when expanded by air from the tank 3 under the control of the valve 14 draws down the corrugated sheets while at the same time tightening the closure against the door jambs. At the floor the bag 2 presses a gum or caoutchouc packing againstanother gum or caoutchouc packinglocated in the threshold. At is shown an electric controlling device which can be used to operate the device. Figure 1 shows the bag expanded with. the closure shut and the portion thereof at he top which is more heavily dotted shows the position occupied by the bag when empty when the door is open and the corrugated sheets have been wound around their respective rolls. Discharge cocks are provided whereby air can be withdrawn from the bag to open the door. lt is selfevident that this type of door, owingl to the compactness thereof, may also be advantageously applied so as to operate horizontally.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, there is shown a sliding door which travels upon rails located either upon the floor or the ceiling by means of the wheel 7. At 8 is shown guide bars placed above and below the door. Fixed to the door 6 is an air cylinder 9 having the piston and the piston rod 11 bored and secured iixedly by the bearing 1 2 to the wall. The tube 18 connects with the bored portion of the piston and piston rod and is in turn connected to the valve 14. Extending from the valve 14 is a tube 15 which terminates in a gum air chamber 16 positioned in a groove 16 of the door framing and said groove entirely encircles the opening. A valve 17 is positioned in the tube 15 and is normally in closed position, but can be opened by the projection 18 carried by the door when the door is moved into shut position and this operation takes place a fewinoments before the door is entirely closed. The operation of this type of door is extremely simple. lWhen the valve 14 has been operated either automatically by the action of water flooding the con'ipartment or through electrical means controlled from a distance, or manually, connection is established between the air tank 3 and the cylinder 9 through the tube 13 and the bore of the pist-on and piston rod. The cylinder is moved outwardly and thereby carries with it the closure which is secured to it to close the door. Just before t-he door has entirely closed, the projection 18 opens the valve 17, allowing compressed air to enter the air ch amber 16 and the circular air chamber will then press tightly against the door. making a tight tit.

In Figure 16 a slight modification is shown wherein the air tube for tightening` the connection between the door and the wall is located in the door itself instead of being in the wall.

ln Figures 4 and 5 the invention is shown as applied to a .swinging door. In these views 19 shows the frame for a metallic door 2O which door pivots on hinges 21. Located in a groove 16 of the framework 19 is a caoutchouc air chamber 16 similar to the one previously described. A tube 22 connects the air chamber 16 with the air tank 3 and the tube 22 is provided with a valve 23 to be operated by the opening and closing of the door. At 24 and 24 are plugs of a spring stop cock design to connect` with the door when shut, stop cock 24k l eing thrown back by the action of the door shutting so as to open the valve Connected ixedly to the pivots of the door 25 is a crank 26, the end of which is duly connected with the piston rod 27 of the piston 28 acting in the cylinder 29 which is fastened to the cylinder of any other suitable .supporting surface. The cylinder is connected to the air tank 3 through the valve 14. rlhe operation of this door is quite similar to the previously described door shown in Figures 2 and 3. lVhen the valve 14 opens the connection between air tank 3 and cylinder 29, the door is shut with force and is caught by the plugs. Upon the shutting of the door the valve 23 has been operated so that coniipresf-icd air can get into air chambers 1G, thus tightening the closure.

.ln Figure 6 the novel valve 14 is illustrated in detail whereby the various devices can be operated because of either the flooding of a compartmentor by tire as well as by hand or electrically. At 3Q and 31 are shown the connecting pipes of the air tank with the air bags or cylinders respectively. Upon the rod 34 is located the valve head 32 and a stuiing box` 33 prevents air from entering the metallic box 35 in which are located the valves 63 and the floats 60. A lever 36 pivoted at 37 and the rod 34 abuts against this lever. The lower end of the lever has secured thereto one of the clamping devices 38 which terminates in a threaded end 39 and is secured to the lever by the nut 40. Another clamping device 38 secured to the framework of the box 35 is provided spaced from the one secured to the lever and a` thin strip of paper 41 is maintained taut between the clamping devices 3S. It is apparent that the paper will maintain the lever 3G in abutting relation to the rod 34 when dry, but the paper becomes wet it will immediately separate and allow the rod 34 to become free and thereby open the connection between pipes 30 and 31.

For operating the lever manually or electrically a lever 42 is pivoted in the box 35 at 43 and carries a sharp blade 44 which is adapted toV sever the paper upon the pivoting of the lever 42. The fr ee en d of the lever 4 2 can be raised either by a'drawing rodf45` manually or can be operated by asolenoid 46 operatingupon an iron core secured to said rod 45. `The rod can also be operatedfby paper.

A modification of the'valve'just described isishown in Figure 7 In the 4.modification a float 47 is utilized which will act upon aly toggle link 48 connected to vthe rod 34.V The operation of thismodification is believed to be obvious. However, it is' also apparent that the float 47 could carry a blade for sever# ing vthe paper 41` in the device shown in Figure 6. 1

In Figures 8 and 9 a further modification is shown andv comprises a float which is designed to operate upon the catch 71V pivoted at 7 3 by means of the rod 74 carried by the float. In this modification the valve rod 66 passes through a stuffing box 67 and a spring 69 encircling the rod 66 constantly tends to urge the valve head 32 to the right by its re-V action upon a nut 68 which is threaded upon the rod 66. `There is also located uponthe threaded portion of the rod 66 a pair of spaced double nuts 70 between which the tooth 71 ofthe catch 72 is held so as to maintain the valve head 32in closed position against the action of the spring 69 until thev catch is released. "When the catch is released through an upward movement of the rod 74, thenithe spring 69 comes into action and moves the valve head 32 towards the right thereby opening the valve. It is evident that the rod 74 will be raised to release the latch `upon entry of water into the boX so as to raise the float 65. y w

The latch 71 can also be tripped through themedium of the wire or rod 75 upon which wire is located a core 76 for the solenoid 46.

, Connected to the other end of the core 76 is a CTI continuation 74 of the wire 75 which passes over a roller and is secured to the spring 78 located under tension in a horizontal position. The fusible element 79 maintains the spring 78 in'eXtended position. It is evident that upon an increase in temperature the fusible element 79will melt and then the spring 7 8 will come into action and trip the latch 71. Of course, as previously described, the solenoid 46 can act in either of the ways set forth above. y

Upon the side of the boX and inside the same is located a float spring 80 having a valve 81 on the free end thereof which engages and seats in the opening leading to the pipe 82 which can communicate with a contiguous compartment. kIt isevident that struction 95.

upon water entering the box that the rod 66 will be moved to the right and thereby close` the valve 81. Y

iv Insome cases it isdesirable that the acltion of. the devices previouslyV described should not take place immediately but should take effect after a certain `predetermined period.v This is accomplished by the including in the devices'of the fluid time switch shown in Figures 10 and 11. Referring to these figures, indicates a piston slidable in the cylinder 89 and having a one-way valve 93 and 93 in the bottom thereof. The piston. rods 91 connected to the piston 90 are encircled by a. spring 92 and upon the side of the cylinder is located. a partition wall the movement of ,which is controlled by the screw 9:passing through the cylinder wall and connected tov the partition, thereby forming a `conduit eX- tending. from the top of the cylinder to the.

bottom of the' cylinder with ports 96 at the bottom and 97 at the top. The entire cylinder is filled with oil or glycerine and it will be noted that when the piston is moved into its upward position the Vspring -92 is compressed and the free return thereof isV hin-V dered by the oil'in the cylinder, thereby caus' ing a slow return while the piston under the action of the. spring 92 draws oil from in front of the piston through the ports 96, conduit 94 and port 97. The time of this re turn can beregulated by regulating thesize of the conduit 94. v

F igures'lO'and 11 also show this time valve connected` to the connection between the air tankand the bags and cylinders. In this connection is provided a valve of a peculiar con- The lever 87fwith the handle 86 controls the movements of this valve and the lever 87 has la projection 87 having avslot therein making 4connection with the piston rod 91 of the valve previously described. This lever 87 is vdesigned to be held in the posi-4 tion in which the spring 92 is compressed by a catch 101 which is pivoted upon the pivot and has another lever 101 connected theretoV which is connected to the float 98. A

Vmovement of the'float will trip the latch 1,01

and therebyrelease the lever 87 and'allow the spring 92 to come into action. The valve 95 will not come into action immediately until vit has been turned asindicated in Figures 12,

thispassage comes into connection with the port 104 shown in Figure 14 a` horn or other. similar apparatus connected to this port may be sounded by the compressed air. This willV l of course give a signal to persons 1n the vicm-y ity that the doors are to be closed'.

ion

In Figure 7 a safety device is provided Y whereby people trapped may be allowedto escape. To accomplish this a valve 83 is loiso cated in the principal connection l5 between the air tank and the valve. This valve may be operated from one of the two contiguous compartments and when operated shuts off communication with the air tank and puts the air bags and cylinders in connection with al blow off port 104e. At the same time that this valve is operated, the time valve shown in Figures l0 and ll is again set in operation, so that after the persons trapped escape the door will automatically close whether the people escaping close it or not.

In Figure l5 there is shown a. system Vwhereby premises can be protected. In this figure 49 are the air-tight bags which are either usually folded or rolled and normally shut into metallic boxes. The bags are applied to the ceiling of the premises. In the same way as previously described these bags are con nected with the valve lll and its pipings and will therefore operate in the same way to the action of water flooding the compartment and by the other means previously described. Each air tank must feed independently one or more bags since the bursting or damaging of a bag will interfere with the working of the others.

In Figur-e l5 the bags are shown filled. If encumbrances. are in the room the protection although not complete will be very conspicuous. In case of fire the tubes can be loaded with azote carbonio acid or any other inert gas. For this purpose the piping 50 is designed which branches out throughout the compartment and is provided with a series of fusible operating plugs 5l. The operation thereof is self-evident.

I claim:

l. A watertight closure comprising a movable door, a frame for the door, means f-or closing the door by flooding the compartment in which the door is located, flexible air bags between the frame and door, a source of compressed air, a fluid operated connection between the door and frame7 a pipe connecting the fluid connection and source of compressed air, a pipe connecting the bags and said source7 a valve controlling the admission of pressure fluid to both pipes, and a valve in the bag connected pipe operable by the door when closing to inflate the bags to effect a water-tight closure between the door and frame when the door is fully closed.

2. A water-tight closure comprising a movable door, a fixed frame for the door, a cylinder upon the door, a piston movable in the cylinder and fixed adjacent the door, a flexible air bag cooperative with the door, a

i source of compressed air, a valve connected with said source, a pipe connecting the air bag and cylinder with the valve, said valve being operable upon flooding thereof to operate the piston to cl-ose the door, and means carried by the pipe connecting the bag and valve for releasing air in said pipe to inflate the bag when the door is closed.

3. A water-tight closure comprising a movable door, a fixed framework for the door, a valve mechanism for closing the door upon flooding of the compartment in which the door is located, a source of compressed air, a fluid closure inflatable by the source of airv after the door is closed, and means included in the valve system for sounding an alarm previous to closing of the door.

4. A water tight closure comprising a movable door, a fixed framework for the door, means for closing said door operating by the flooding -of the compartment in which the door is situated, a valve stem associated with the frame and operable directly by the door for effecting a water tight closure between the same only after the door has been fully closed, and air tanks having connections to means upon the door for closing the same and having also connections to the water tight closing means, and means comprising a valve operated by the closing of the door for opening the connection between said air tank and said water tightening closure means.

5. A water tight closure comprising a movable door, a fixed framework for the door, means for closing the door operating by flooding the compartment in which the door is situated, a valve stem associated with the frame and operated directly by the door for effecting a water tight closure between the same only after the door has been fully closed7 and a timing device for operating the various means after a predetermined elapsed time. i

6. A water tight closure comprising a movable door, a fixed framework for the door, means for closing the door operating by flooding the compartment in which the door is situated, a valve stem associated with the frame and operated directly by the door for effecting a water tight closure between the same only after the door has been fully closed, and flexible air tanks between the ldoor and frame and filled with an inert gas capable of suffocating a fire.

DIEGO MATTEI. 

